Love2Run

Arrived back in Japan.

Did a 1 mile warm up. Then did 6 x 800m @ 2:45 pace with 200m recovery between. Finished off with some easy running.

AM: 1 mile warmup, then 5 miles @ 6:30 pace. Recently this pace feels very comfortable to me, so I think my fitness is starting to return.

PM: Very easy 3 miles

9 easy miles. Didn't wear a watch on this run. I just wanted to run for enjoyment.

AM: Short warm. Then ran 5K @ 18:30. This was at 80%. I know that I can go under 18 minutes, but I am getting a little discouraged because the girl on our ekiden team that graduated last year ran about 19:47 for 6K, and I am still not anywhere near that yet. Easy running after.

PM: 3 miles easy

AM: I guess the jet lag and lack of sleep recently caught up with me today. I was unable to get up this morning.

But I guess that meant I probably needed the sleep more than the run. I don't generally sleep in or have problems getting up early, but today I just couldn't wake up.

PM: 3 easy miles.

AM: 6 miles of fartlek. Felt good!

PM: Easy 3 miles

AM: Did a mile warm up. Then ran 5K at 100%. I gave it everything I had. My time was 17:11 (3:36, 3:24, 3:23, 3:26, 3:22). This was a big PR for me. I am pretty sure the distance is close to being accurate, because where I run it is a running course that is marked every 1K. Anyway I had absolutely nothing left at the end. Ended off with a 1 mile cool down.

PM: Ran an easy 6 miles.

This evening, my hips and back are really hurting. Especially, when I lay down, the ache is so bad I cannot sleep. I hope I didn't hurt myself today. I really gave it everything I had.

I felt good about the time today, but that is still not good enough to make our A team for Ekiden. With one of the members from the Ekiden graduating last year, there is one spot open. She ran the 6K leg of the race. There is a 6K, 4.1K, 3K, 3K, and 5K leg. I don't know if any of the other existing members will move up to fill the 6K spot, or if the 6K spot will be open. It doesn't really matter. I am not fast enough yet to fill any of the spots yet. They are all averaging about 3:20/1K or faster. I still have 1 1/2 month before our official team workouts start for Ekiden.

AM: Was very sore from yesterdays's run, so ran an easy 3 miles.

PM: Felt a little better this afternoon, so ran 6 miles easy.

AM: 6 easy miles. Still feel tired from Monday's run.

PM: 3 miles easy.

AM: 6 miles at 7:00 per mile pace.

PM: 6 miles easy.

AM: 10 miles easy.

PM: 3 miles easy.

AM: Short warm up, then 20 x 300 meters @ 60 seconds, then 10 x 100 meter sprints. Ended with a cool down run.

PM: 5 easy miles

AM: This week is the beginning of Summer Recess from school. Did an easy warm up, then 3 x 2000m @ about 6:50. 1000 m recovery run in between. Ended with a cool run to get 10 miles. Felt really good today.

PM: Ran an easy 5 miles.

AM: 6 easy miles.

PM: 6 easy miles. My left ankle was sore toward the end of the afternoon run. It is the same ankle that I broke. I am a little (actually a lot) worried about it. I think this time it feels more like a tendon and not bone. But I think I will try to take it easy for a few days. I don't know why my left angle and leg are so weak. It is the one I broke. It is also the one that I had achilles problems with.

Tomorrow I start a summer internship working for a company that makes bearings, gears, automobile transmissions etc. I will be working in the Engineering department. My science teacher at school arranged this for me. What I will mainly be doing is to write correspondence in English to overseas customers etc. The pay is not so good, but the learning experience should be great.

I will have to arrange my running schedule to correspond to the work schedule. I will only be working 3 days a week for 4 hours a day, so it is not an awful lot. The transportation time to and from takes time though.

AM: 5 very easy miles. My ankle was still hurting today. I am sure it is tendons just in front of the ankle that are sore. On Monday I wore racing flats during my morning workout and maybe my feet were not ready for it.

Started my internship today. I didn't really have much to do, today mainly had a tour of the office. It is very interesting how all of the departments in the company work in coordination to solve problems. I will be working in the Engineering Division II, which engineers continuously variable transmissions. Even though I didn't have much to do today, I am mentally exhausted.

PM: 5 very very easy miles. I think maybe tomorrow my foot will be bak to where I can run normal again. If not I will take another very easy day.

AM: 6 easy miles

PM: 6 easy miles. I think I will just be doing easy runs this week, to make sure that there is nothing serious with my ankle. Felt very good today. I think I just strained some tendons.

I was very shocked today when I came on the blog and saw that Mr. Murphy has disappeared from the blog.

He meant a lot to me. He was the first to welcome me to the blog and always had very good advice for me. I will really miss him. I hope his knees heal quickly so that he will be able to return to running again.

AM: 6 easy miles before going to my job.

PM: 6 easy miles. Left ankle is feeling better. Today I felt a similar pain in my right ankle, so I think the problem is due to tendons. Maybe running over uneven surfaces is the cause. Maybe I need new shoes.

AM: Short warmup, followed by 10K in 38:20 (best time in long time). I wasn't going to go hard today, but I felt so good during my warmup run, that I changed plans.

PM: 6 miles easy. I have lost 15 pounds since the end of track season. I just wonder how much better I could have done during track if I had been lighter then.

Well, I had a good mileage week this week. I think this is ideal mileage for me.

AM: Slept in so didn't have time to run before going to work. Made some mistakes at work and my supervisor had to talk with me. I felt really bad. I am still learning so many things and it is hard to learn it all so quickly. PM: Ran 6 miles easy. It was good for relieving some stress. Didn't realize working could be so stressfull.

AM: Ran an easy warmup, then ran 5K in 17:24 (not a PR, but felt fast). Easy cool down. I think the extra rest the last couple of days did a lot for me. I will try again for a PR in a couple of weeks. I have one month to get my 5K time as low as I can if I hope to have a chance to get on the A team.

PM: 6 miles very easy

AM: 6 easy miles with some striders at the end.

PM: 6 easy miles